First Coaster of the Millennium Celebrates 1 Million Riders

Valencia, CA -- One of the most talked-about roller coasters of the year hit the 1 million rider mark today as Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain, near Los Angeles, set a new coaster record for theme-park visitors.

Since Goliath opened in February, coaster enthusiasts and celebrities from around the country have been making the journey to conquer the giant among coasters! Here's what they have to say:

"It's awesome ... it's my favorite steel coaster in the world, and I've been on 300 all over the country ... including Ohio!" -- David Escalante, San Francisco

"Goliath is one of the most incredible roller coasters to have ever been built. The first drop is awe-inspiring, there's airtime aplenty, blinding speed, and the helix is like none other with its unrelenting G forces! It is the 'architecture of exhilaration,' a wonderful masterpiece in steel!" -- Rachael Riffee, Lake Hughes, California

"Goliath is easily one of the best coasters I have ever been on. The sheer power of the ride is like nothing else. The helix near the end of the ride is brilliant. I don't think any other helix can compare to the one found on Goliath. Six Flags Magic Mountain has yet another monster hit on their hands with Goliath!" -- Sean Flaharty, Cincinnati

"If you open the dictionary to the word 'intense,' there's a picture of Goliath!" -- Lisa Scheinin, Redondo Beach, California

"The addition of Goliath gives Six Flags Magic Mountain the best coaster collection in the world ... hands down!" Paul Ruben, North American editor, Park World Magazine

Towering 255 feet above earth, the massive steel superstructure has one of the world's tallest drops, and at speeds of 85 miles per hour, it is one of the fastest roller coasters of the modern day.

Combining traditional coaster thrills with a few new devilish twists, Goliath sends riders on a three-minute "nonstop" high-speed adventure over 4,500 feet of steel track with daring "butterflies-in- your-stomach" plunges, huge sweeping spirals, zero-gravity "floating" hills and drops, and the 120-foot-long tunnel shrouded in total darkness for the thrill of a lifetime!

Seated two abreast and strapped into sleek fire-orange trains, riders climb 26 stories into the sky -- reaching high above the infamous Colossus and nearing the unrivaled peak of the awesome Superman: The Escape.

However, the heart-pounding rush begins as riders get their first glimpse of the beckoning "dime-sized" black hole that awaits the awesome 255-foot plunge to the ground -- and beyond. The near-vertical 61-degree first drop sends riders racing at speeds of 85 miles per hour into total darkness, accelerating through the smoke-filled 120-foot-long underground black hole.

As darkness gives way to light, riders emerge at intense speeds as they race straight up into a giant sweeping turn, where steel coaster technology meets legendary wooden coaster fame, soaring 100 feet directly up and over the mighty Colossus! Looming 200 feet in the air, riders "float" as they pass over a series of breathtaking camelback hills and ascend into a high-speed spiraling curve, followed by a carousel dive before turning back into the station.